The Real Violence in Moroccan schools

Fez - Whenever I think of writing about the situation of teachers, students, and schools in Morocco, my heart skips a beat. The amount of violence in schools has surged recently, and videos go viral on social media depicting students verbally abusing teachers, and vice versa.

Fez – Whenever I think of writing about the situation of teachers, students, and schools in Morocco, my heart skips a beat. The amount of violence in schools has surged recently, and videos go viral on social media depicting students verbally abusing teachers, and vice versa.

The truth is that conflict has always existed between the two parties as a result of the deplorable school conditions. However, those who begrudge teachers incriminate them as if they are the only defendants. They apply double standards and turn a blind eye to pivotal issues that represent the real violence against all stakeholders in Morocco’s education system.

Genuine violence is when a student wakes up at 5 o’clock in the morning and walks one hour to attend classes, enduring the cold, the heat, and a weak infrastructure, and complaining about the lack of transportation and the fear of being mugged or sexually assaulted on the way.

Real violence is when students of the elite and the privileged have visas and access to excellent schools outside the country, while impoverished people in rural areas waste their time in split-grade classrooms, isolated from civilization and deprived of the technology that would link them to the world.

Real violence is when students spend the whole day in a school, rambling aimlessly during breaks because their houses are far away, and the school lacks basic facilities such as libraries, multimedia rooms, and playgrounds where students can unwind.

Blatant violence is when students use chalkboards and have to pay for resources like photocopies of extra exercises or flashcards.

Real violence is when students attend crowded classes where conditions do not match methods of teaching, causing frustration for both teachers and students.

Conspicuous violence is when the Ministry of Education prioritizes statistics, while is oblivious to the quality of education that has contributed to the surge in cheating.

Real violence is when private schools exist only for students from rich families and public ones are designed for those who cannot afford to pay the fees, creating a gap in social classes and making education a privilege of the wealthy.

Real violence is when families are often unable to fully provide for their children because they are preoccupied with earning money to survive, and yet they expect the teachers to turn their children into doctors and engineers, assuming that they have magic recipes.

Real violence is when drug addiction is inexorable among students who are in need of social assistance, medical care, and more attention.

Real violence is when students enter the classroom with no willingness to study, because their brothers and sisters who have already graduated and have been unable to find work here, are forced to resort to emigration.

Real violence is when teachers are shocked at the gap between the theories they learn at the training centers and the reality of infrastructure at schools.

Real violence is when all these issues and others contribute to the failure of our education system, while those who are behind desks adopt outlandish measures to contribute to this vicious circle.

Real violence is when we know the source of problems but are unwilling to bring about change for fear of wasting energy, time, and money.

Real violence is when students and teachers want to bring about positive change, and stakeholders provide little or no support.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy